Bunny Travel – PA to CA

[Slyfox747]

Hello Everyone, I am going to be going to college in CA soon and I am originally from PA. This leaves the big question of what should I do with Charles, my 1-year old lop? He’s really never traveled except 30-40min in the car and he doesn’t particularly like car rides. He gets very still and doesn’t eat or drink while in his carrier. I’m wondering if any one has taken their bunny with them on a plane across the country? It’s about a 6 hour flight, or 4 hour and 2 hour flights with a layover in between. I do have someone (my mom) to look after him if I can’t take him with me, but I was wondering what everyone’s opinions on here would be about the situation. I’d love it if he could come with me, for the company at my new school and because he’s most comfortable with me and I can give him the most time and attention. However, I do worry about the climate change, the flight, and then having to either find someone to watch him in CA during my breaks or having to bring him on the plane every time I travel home (4 times in the school year and then traveling back to school with me). What should I do!?!

[Mikey]

Personally, i would see if someone can drive him up after you get setting in. This way hes not stuck feeling stressed for so long onto to be thrown into another stressful situation of unpacking boxes. For rabbits that have a hard time with travel, they can easily be set into stasis which is not something you want while moving as well. With travel, youll want to take a break every hour or two at the latest to feed, water, and pet the bunny for 10+ minutes. If at any point they stop eating, drinking, or pooping, they need to be seen by a vet as soon as you reach your destination. Not many planes that i know of are ok with people taking their pets out of their carriers to feed/water/ect them, so it is best to go by car unless the flight is very short (3 hours absolute max to help destress, feed, water, and check over)

[Slyfox747]

Mikey, don’t you think it would be more tedious to drive him in a car for hours for 5 days with someone other than me? I don’t have anyone to take the time to drive him up, let alone take a break every hour to pet/feed Charles. If the unpacking boxes is a big deal then wouldn’t it make more sense to just unpack and then when I fly home for my first break, fly back with him?

[Mikey]

If it means his overall safety, no. Flying is more stressful on rabbits than driving, and while flying you cannot check your rabbits and during travels longer than three hours, you absolutely have to check your rabbit and feed it. A rabbit can die if it does not eat every 8 hours. A rabbit can go into stasis and if not cared for immediately and properly, it can die. A rabbit can also die of stress, which traveling causes rabbits who are not used to traveling. Its not the packing thats the problem, its the flying vs driving. Driving is much safer for a rabbit than flying as while driving you can do what you have to do to care for your rabbit and while flying, you most likely cannot

Unpacking and moving is also stressful on a rabbit because theyre in a place totally new with brand new sounds around. Unpacking first then moving in the rabbit at a later date gives the new place time to settle and spread your smell around making it more homey when your rabbit shows up. Plus, theres not as many new sounds. When you move him in, you should make it as comfortable as possible for him to destress and become comfortable with his new living space

[skysblue]

I think is best if you could leave her at home. Think about summer break, winter break and times when you go out to class/lunch, study, out with friends, party time etc.

I left my rabbit at home when i was in college.

[Author]

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